Demolition of existing masonry or concrete surfaces generally require subjecting those surfaces to repeated impacts containing enough energy to destroy the structural integrity of the surface. Existing pavement, bridges, decks, and the like are typical of surface structures which require demolition for replacement by different construction or, particularly in the case of pavement, to remove the existing surface before rebuilding the pavement.
The conventional air-powered jackhammer for many years was the tool of choice for breaking up existing pavement or other masonry structures. However, the conventional jackhammer is a relatively slow and labor-intensive tool and its use is not efficient in many applications, for example, for breaking up relatively large expanses of concrete deck or pavement. Attempts to overcome this known inefficiency have included mounting a jackhammer on a tractor or similar vehicle, thereby allowing the tractor operator to position the jackhammer without having to personally manhandle that relatively-heavy object. This approach, while for many applications an improvement over a jackhammer positioned by an individual operator, still requires a separate air compressor or other power source to operate the jackhammer, external from the tractor which carries the jackhammer.
Also known in the prior art are demolition vehicles designed for that particular purpose and limited to that application. These vehicles generally are self-contained and self-propelled for movement along a roadway or other surface undergoing demolition, and include a tool for impacting that surface. One such vehicle is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,133,730. Such special-purpose demolition vehicles are very expensive to acquire and operate, and thus are beyond the reach of the small contractor who has occasional demolition work but cannot justify purchasing expensive equipment useful only for that one purpose.